Empowering Women Since 1881

What’s Your College Major Worth?

April 02, 2013

Your college major and your occupation make a big difference in how much you are paid. Just in time for Equal Pay Day, we are launching the AAUW Salary Calculator. Using the latest data from the U.S. Census Bureau, the calculator finds the average earnings for women and men in the first two decades after college graduation, based on major and job.

Thinking about what major to choose in college? Compare average earnings among different majors for workers in their 20s and in their 30s.

Already chosen your major and trying to decide what kind of job to pursue after graduation? Compare average earnings for the most popular jobs among people with your major.

Wondering how women’s and men’s wages compare? Learn how the pay gap changes in your field for workers from their 20s into their 30s.

In about 2 out of every 3 major/job combinations for which sufficient data is available, men in their 20s are paid more than women. And among workers in their 30s, that ratio shoots up to 11 in 12.

This confirms what we already know from AAUW’s research on the gender pay gap: The gap is smallest at the beginning of women’s careers and grows the longer we are in the workforce. And even when we account for factors like college major, job, and age, men tend to be paid more than women.